Ribbon blown glass articles of various types such as lamp glass envelopes and glass containers are formed on a ribbon machine utilizing multi-part molds having a partible construction and which rotate while encircling a hollow molten glass blank. Said conventional molds further generally include a paste coating of the central mold cavity along with vent openings to form a steam cushion against which the glass article is blown while said mold parts are rotating. Said ribbon blown glass articles are also generally formed with a cylindrical neck portion terminating at one end in a larger diameter bulb having various shapes, including curved, cylindrical and conical contours as well as flat sides.
The present invention relates to a novel means for packaging these ribbon blown glass articles during transport in a manner avoiding excessive glass breakage often encountered by reason of the relatively thin wall construction of these articles, but at a greater packing density than now achieved with the conventional random packing practice. In said latter regard, these glass articles are now randomly placed in cartons, hampers and other type containers with such random orientation often producing large void spaces in the randomly packed arrangement which increases manufacturing costs. This drawback is especially significant when the conventionally packed glass articles are of a relatively large size so that a more space-efficient packing arrangement is desirable from this standpoint alone. It would also be desirable if such an improved transport packing arrangement is achieved in a manner avoiding physical contact between the individual glass articles after being packed as well as providing a packing means which lends itself to automatic loading and unloading.
Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide a packing tray for the transport of ribbon blown glass articles which can be vertically stacked after said articles have been packaged therein at increased packing density.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a novel stacked arrangement of these packed trays on various base supports which can thereafter be transported between manufacturing sites.
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for transport packaging of ribbon formed glass articles which reduces other difficulties now being experienced with random packaging methods.